Salzburg

Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its Alpine setting. It is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the setting for parts of the musical and film The Sound of Music, which features famous landmarks in Austria, but focuses mainly on Salzburg. Salzburg is also a student city, with three universities.

Traces of human settlements have been found in the area, dating to the Neolithic Age. The first settlements at Salzburg were apparently begun by the Celts. Around 15 BC the separate settlements were merged into one city by the Romans. At this time the city was called Juvavum and was awarded the status of a Roman municipium in 45 AD. Juvavum developed into an important town of the Roman province of Noricum.

Salzburg is a tourist favourite, with the number of tourists outnumbering locals by a large margin in peak times. In addition to Mozart's birthplace noted above, other notable places include:

The whole Old Town of Salzburg was nominated as a World Heritage Site in 1996.
The baroque architecture including the many churches are world famous.
The Salzburg Cathedral
The fortress Hohensalzburg on a hill dominating the old town is one of the largest castles in Europe, with views over Salzburg.
The Franziskanerchurch
The St.Peter cemetery
The Nonnberg Abbey a Benedictine monastery
The "Residenz" Palace (the magnificent former Prince-Archbishop's residence)
Mozart's Birthplace
Mozart's Residence
The University Church
The Siegmundstor (or Neutor)
The Getreidegasse

In the 1960s, the movie The Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg and the state of Salzburg. The movie was based on the true story of Maria von Trapp, a Salzburg-based nun who took up with an aristocratic family and fled German occupation. Although the film is not particularly popular among Austrians, the town draws many visitors who wish to visit the filming locations, alone or on tours.

Salzburg is the setting for the Austrian crime series Stockinger.